MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday, April 24, officially welcomed a new C-208B Grand Caravan EX aircraft in a ceremony held at Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, as part of its continuing modernization push.
The Acceptance, Turn-over, and Blessing (ATOB) ceremony was led by PAF Commanding General Lt. Gen. Arthur M. Cordura. This aircraft marks the first addition to the PAF fleet in 2025, reinforcing its capability to support military operations and humanitarian missions.
The aircraft, which landed at Clark Air Base on April 16, underwent thorough technical inspections. It was purchased from Servo Aerotrade Services Inc. and manufactured by Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kansas. Funding came from the 2023 General Appropriations Act.
This Grand Caravan EX joins three others already in PAF’s inventory, widely used for missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, surveillance, and disaster response.
The new air asset is part of the AFP Modernization Program under Horizon 2. In 2024, the PAF acquired additional platforms including T-129 ATAK helicopters, S-70i Blackhawks, a fixed air surveillance radar, and a ground-based air defense system. It also received a C-130H from the U.S. via the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) Program.
PAF’s expanding fleet—bolstered by fixed-wing and rotary assets—is expected to play a key role in both national defense and logistical support for the 2025 midterm elections.